How to Transfer a Domain Name to a New Host: A Step-by-Step Guide Published: 04 Jun, 2023
A domain name is the unique address of your website on the internet. It is what people type in their browsers to access your site, such as www.fudomains.com. Your domain name is one of the most important assets of your online presence, as it represents your brand, identity, and credibility.
However, there might be situations where you want to transfer your domain name to a new host. For example, you might be unhappy with your current web hosting service due to poor performance, security, support, or pricing. Or you might want to take advantage of a better deal or feature offered by another web hosting provider. Or you might have sold your website and need to transfer the domain name to the new owner.
Transfer a Domain Name to a New Host
Whatever the reason, transferring a domain name to a new host is not a complicated process, but it does require some steps and precautions. In this article, we will guide you through the steps of how to transfer a domain name to a new host in a simple and hassle-free way.
But first, let's look at some statistics, facts, trends, and data about domain names and web hosting that will help you understand the context and importance of this topic.
- According to Domain Name Stat, there are 350.5 million registered domain names as of March 2023, which is an increase of 13.2 million or 3.9% since last year.
- The most popular top-level domain (TLD) is .com, which accounts for 46.9% of all globally registered TLDs. The average length of a name with a .com extension is 13.5 characters.
- China has the highest number of registered domains with 18.4 million, followed by Canada with 17.3 million and Iceland with 16.5 million⊃3;. The United States ranks fourth with 13 million registered domains.
- There are currently 26.3 million generic TLDs (gTLDs), which are domains that are not associated with any country or organization, such as .xyz, .online, .club, etc. Over 23 million domain names have been registered as gTLDs since 2013. The top gTLD is .xyz with 1.9% of the most popular TLDs.
- The most popular web hosting service by the number of registered domains is GoDaddy.com, LLC with 80.2 million domains or 12.27% of the market share. The second most popular web hosting service is NameCheap, Inc. with 18.8 million domains or 2.87% of the market share.
As you can see, domain names and web hosting are dynamic and competitive fields that require constant attention and adaptation. If you want to keep up with the latest trends and opportunities, you might need to transfer your domain name to a new host at some point.
In the next sections, we will show you how to do that in five easy steps. Let's get started!
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Step 1: b a New Host and Create Your Account
The first step in the domain name you wish to transfer to a new host is to choose a reliable and reputable web hosting service that offers domain name transfers. There are many web hosting providers in the market, but not all of them are suitable for your needs and budget.
Some of the popular and trusted web hosting services that offer domain name transfers are Bluehost, In motion, and HostGator. These web hosts have been in the industry for a long time and have millions of satisfied customers. They also offer various features and benefits that can enhance your website's performance, security, and SEO.
Here are some of the factors that you should compare when choosing a new web host for your domain name transfer, and prepare your domain for transfer:
- Plans and prices: Different web hosts offer different plans and prices for different levels of resources and services. You should choose a plan that matches your website's needs and your budget. For example, Bluehost offers plans starting from $2.95 per month, Inmotion offers plans starting from $2.49 per month, and HostGator offers plans starting from $2.75 per month.
- Features and tools: Different web hosts offer different features and tools that can help you manage your website and domain name. You should look for features such as free SSL certificates, free email accounts, free website builders, free backups, free migrations, etc. For example, Bluehost offers free SSL certificates, free domain name for one-year, free website builder, etc.
- Customer support and service: Different web hosts offer different levels of customer support and service that can help you with any issues or questions that you might have regarding your website or domain name transfer. You should look for web hosts that offer 24/7 support via phone, chat, email, or ticket system. For example, Inmotion offers 24/7 support via phone, chat, email, or ticket system.
- Uptime and speed: Different web hosts offer different levels of uptime and speed that can affect your website's availability and performance. You should look for web hosts that offer 99.9% or higher uptime guarantee and fast loading times. For example, HostGator offers 99.9% uptime guarantee and fast loading times.
Once you have chosen a new web host for your domain name transfer, you need to create an account with them. This is usually a simple and quick process that involves providing some basic information such as your name, email address, password, billing details, etc.
You also need to select a hosting package that suits your needs. You can choose from different types of hosting such as shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting, WordPress hosting, etc. depending on your website's size, traffic, functionality, etc.
After you have created your account and selected your hosting package, you are ready to move on to the next step of transferring your domain name to your new host.
Step 2: Confirm Your Contact Information and Disable Domain Privacy
The second step in transferring your domain name to a new host is to confirm your contact information and disable domain privacy. This is a necessary step to ensure that your new host can contact you and verify your identity and ownership of the domain name.
To confirm your contact information, you need to go to your current domain registrar and check that your name, email address, phone number, and postal address are accurate and up-to-date. These are the details that your new host will use to communicate with you and send you confirmation emails or messages.
To disable domain privacy, you need to go to your current domain registrar and look for the option to manage your domain privacy or WHOIS protection. Depending on your registrar, this option might be under different headings, such as Privacy Settings, Privacy Protection, WHOIS Guard, etc.
Once you find the option to manage your domain privacy or WHOIS protection, you need to toggle it from ON to OFF. This will reveal your contact information in the public WHOIS information database and allow your new host to verify your ownership of the domain name.
Domain privacy or WHOIS protection is a feature that hides your contact information from the public WHOIS database and replaces it with generic or proxy information. This helps protect your privacy and prevent spam, scams, or harassment from unwanted parties.
However, domain privacy or WHOIS protection also prevents legitimate parties, such as your new host, from contacting you or verifying your identity and ownership of the domain name. Therefore, you need to disable it temporarily during the transfer process.
You can re-enable domain privacy or WHOIS protection after the transfer is complete and your new host has confirmed your ownership of the domain name. This way, you can enjoy the benefits of domain privacy or WHOIS protection without affecting the transfer process.
Step 3: Unlock Your Domain Name and Get an Authorization Code
The next step in transferring your domain name to a new host is to unlock your domain name and get an authorization code from your current domain registrar. This is a necessary step to ensure that you are the legitimate owner of the domain name and that you have consented to the transfer.
Domain locking is a feature that prevents unauthorized changes or transfers of your domain name. It is enabled by default by most registrars to protect your domain name from being hijacked or stolen by hackers or scammers. When your domain name is locked, you cannot modify its settings, such as nameservers, contact information, or transfer status.
To unlock your domain name, you need to log into your current registrar's dashboard or settings and look for the option to manage your domain name. Depending on your registrar, this option might be under different headings, such as Security, Domain Locking, Transfer Locking, etc.
Once you find the option to manage your domain name, you need to toggle the lock status from ON to OFF. This will unlock your domain name and allow you to proceed with the transfer. You might need to enter your password or confirm your identity to complete this step.
After you have unlocked your domain name, you need to request an authorization code (also known as EPP code or transfer key) from your current registrar. This is a unique code that is assigned to your domain name and acts as a password for the transfer. Without this code, you cannot transfer your domain name to a new host.
To request an authorization code, you need to log into your current registrar's dashboard or settings and look for the option to get or generate an authorization code. Depending on your registrar, this option might be under different headings, such as Transfer Out, Transfer Authorization Code, EPP Code, etc.
Once you find the option to get or generate an authorization code, you need to click on it and follow the instructions. You might need to enter your password or confirm your identity to complete this step. You might also receive an email with the authorization code or a link to access it.
After you have obtained the authorization code, you need to copy it somewhere safe and keep it handy for the next step of transferring your domain name to your new host.
Step 4: Initiate the Transfer from Your New Host
The next step in transferring your domain name to a new host is to initiate the transfer from your new host's account. This is where you will officially request the transfer and provide the necessary information and authorization.
To initiate the transfer from your new host, you need to log into your new host's account and look for the option to transfer a domain name. Depending on your new host, this option might be under different headings, such as Domain Transfer, Transfer Domains, Transfer In, etc.
Once you have confirmed the order, you have successfully initiated the transfer from your new host. The domain name transfer is the process that will now begin, and you will have to wait for it to be completed. The transfer process might take anywhere from a few hours to a few days depending on various factors, such as the speed of your current registrar, the availability of your domain name, and the verification of your information.
After you have entered your domain name and the authorization code, you need to review the transfer details and confirm the order. You might need to agree to some terms and conditions, provide some contact information, or pay some fees depending on your new host. You might also receive some confirmation emails or messages from your new host or your current domain name registrar.
Once you have confirmed the order, you have successfully initiated the transfer from your new host. The domain name transfer is the process that will now begin and you will have to wait for it to complete. The transfer process might take anywhere from a few hours to a few days depending on various factors, such as the speed of your current domain name registrar from the company, the availability of your domain name, and the verification of your information.
You can check the status of your transfer from your new host's account or dashboard. You might also receive some notifications or updates from your new host or your current registrar during the transfer process. You should not make any changes to your domain name or its settings until the transfer is complete.
Step 5: Authorize the Transfer and Update Your Nameservers
The final step in transferring your domain name to a new host is to authorize the transfer and update your nameservers. This is where you will finalize the transfer and ensure that your website works properly on your new host.
To authorize the transfer, you need to check your email for a confirmation message from your new host and click on the link to approve the transfer. This will confirm that you have requested the transfer and that you agree to the terms and conditions of your new host.
You also need to check your email for another confirmation message from your current registrar and click on the link to confirm the transfer. This will confirm that you have authorized the transfer and that you agree to release your domain name from your current registrar.
After you have authorized the transfer, you need to log into your new host's account and update your nameservers to point to your new host's servers. This will ensure that your website's data and files are served from your new host's servers and that your website's functionality is not affected by the transfer.
Nameservers are servers that translate your domain name into an IP address that can be understood by computers and browsers. They are like phone books that tell browsers where to find your website on the internet. Nameservers are important for your website's functionality because they connect your domain name to your web hosting service.
To update your nameservers, you need to go to your new host's dashboard or settings and look for the option to manage your domain name. Depending on your new host, this option might be under different headings, such as DNS Management, Nameserver Settings, Domain Settings, etc.
Once you find the option to manage your domain name, you need to enter or select the nameservers provided by your new host. Depending on your new host, you might receive these nameservers in an email or find them on their website or support page. You might need to enter two or more nameservers depending on your new host.
After you have entered or selected the nameservers, you need to save the changes and wait for them to propagate. This might take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on various factors, such as the speed of your new host, the availability of your domain name, and the caching of your browser.
You can check if your nameservers have propagated by using online tools such as DNS lookup. These tools will show you if your domain name is pointing to your new host's servers across different locations and devices.
Once your nameservers have propagated, you have successfully transferred your domain name to a new host and completed all the steps. Congratulations! You can now enjoy the benefits of your new web hosting service and manage your website with ease.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to transfer a domain name to a new host in five easy steps. You have learned how to:
- Choose a new host and create your account
- Confirm your contact information and disable domain privacy
- Unlock your domain name and get an authorization code
- Initiate the transfer from your new host
- Authorize the transfer and update your nameservers
By following these steps, you have successfully transferred your domain name to a new host and improved your website's performance, security, and SEO. Well done!
Now that you have transferred your domain name to a new host, you might want to optimize your website further by using some of the features and tools offered by your new web hosting service. For example, you might want to:
- Install an SSL certificate to encrypt your website's data and boost your SEO ranking
- Use a website builder or a content management system to create and manage your website's content and design
- Enable backups and recovery options to protect your website from data loss or corruption
- Install plugins or extensions to add functionality and features to your website
- Monitor your website's traffic and performance using analytics and reports
These are just some of the ways you can optimize your website on your new host. You can explore more options and possibilities by visiting your new host's website or support page.
We hope you have found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please feel free to leave them below. We would love to hear from you and help you with any issues or challenges you might face.
Thank you for reading and happy transferring!